Where to begin?

As a university teacher, I can always judge my students' personalities best by how they enter a classroom when they're late. There are the ones who boldly stroll in with earphones in, a cursory nod yet no eye contact although mildly surprised I started the class without them. Then there are the slinkers, creeping in while my attention is diverted hoping I fail to notice them and finally the apologisers who politely acknowledge their late entrance may be somewhat disruptive to the lesson.

Not sure what the etiquette is in the on-line world - a place where I definitely feel like a fish out of water. I am studying eLearning online at the University of New England and, being admittedly somewhat technologically-illiterate (according to my 9yo son) am experiencing a massive learning curve.

I am a news journo by background which means I know a little about a lot of things but not much about anything really. As well as teaching media units at various universities for many years (very much a classic whiteboard and red pen teacher I recognise the time is nigh to make the transition into the on-line realm.

As part of my brief, I must participate in an online Elearning community to see how it all works. I attended a one-day Articulate Storyline course about a 100 years ago and remember very little, other than wishing I could learn
by my preferred drip-feeding approach.

I have created a host of business writing training courses that are screaming to be published online as they are well received when I deliver them in person. At this stage, I have got them to a primitive stage using AS software but they all need a lot more work to make them look professional.

The impatient Anne would love to just outsource the job in its entirety to expert instructional designers but limited funds and an awareness that learning the trade for myself is the best approach in the longer term.

Hence my subject line question - where to begin?

Look forward to learning from more seasoned experts in this field.

cheers, Anne